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The Straight talkin’ Californian hobo is back, with an anticipated knee-slapper of a good time. You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks is a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Man From Another Time; and it sees ol’ Seasick attempt to go down a grittier, more explosive route. The album is a healthy mixture of upbeat grooves and thought-provoking ballads which express deep-entrenched ties to traditional country folk.
The opening track, ‘Treasures’, is a dark melodic treat, which showcases Seasick’s raspy intensity and his talent for poetic lyricism, a true favourite of mine. The slow-paced ballad is rapidly succeeded by a grouping of gnarled and filthy tracks – exuberant in vocals and catchy in ostinato. The likes of ‘I Don’t Know Why She Love Me But She Do’ and ‘Underneath a Blue and Cloudy Sky’ demonstrate Seasick’s bluesy prowess in creating a punchy virile flavour.
In one sense, this album doesn’t try to deviate from the trademark lament of having little and needing less – in fact Steve strives to remain true to his sound, and manages to document his rough tales of hardship. Having said that, the album does differ in one respect – the masterful vibrancy of Seasick’s guitar-playing is a musical feat. The modest wander gives us a master class in the sheer brilliance of the banjo and the Morris minor guitar, each providing a percussive level to his feel good tracks. You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks is a raw example of emotive folk music, channelling an unadulterated passion from the likes of Mississippi John Hurt and Robert Johnson.
Highly charged with a gutter-punk rawness, Seasick Steve demands respect and proves he’s still got it at seventy.